Maintaining a beautiful smile is important, but maintaining a healthy smile is more important. Even if you’ve had alignment treatment and dental work in the past, you may feel there are still some issues with your smile that keep you from feeling as confident as you could. A lifetime of stains or discolorations, natural gaps, or large teeth could be affecting the way you feel about your smile and ultimately how you interact with your friends, family, and coworkers.
Cosmetic dentistry is a great way to gain more confidence in your everyday life while investing in the overall health of your mouth. By taking care of small yet significant imperfections like chipped teeth, gaps, or uneven biting surfaces, cosmetic dentistry can improve the appearance of your smile while preventing future dental and oral health issues.
Don’t just settle for the smile you have; create the smile you want with cosmetic dentistry services from Monarch Dental.
Dental veneers are used when a tooth or a group of teeth are discolored, misshapen, damaged, or chipped. Veneers are small caps of porcelain that are attached to the front of your teeth and they can be shaped to fit the profile of your mouth. Popular among celebrities, veneers have a reputation for making smiles “too perfect,” but with the proper application and an experienced dentist, veneers can be customized to create a smile that’s “just right.”
Veneer application is a fairly simple process. After a thin layer of enamel has been removed from the teeth needing treatment, your dentist will make an impression of them and send it to a lab where your custom veneer is created. The veneer is then fixed directly to your teeth with a special dental cement. With good care and maintenance, veneers can last for years.
Veneers have several benefits over procedures like bonding or teeth whitening. In addition to lasting longer, veneers are stain-resistant and can address a wide range of issues in your smile.
Bonding is the process of applying composite resin–which is a manufactured tooth-colored material–to the surface of a tooth to fill in a chipped tooth or fill in a gap between teeth by making a tooth seem larger or wider. Bonding is a faster and less expensive alternative to veneers, especially for patients who need corrections quickly, and the bonding material blends in seamlessly with the rest of the natural tooth.
Even with the most diligent dental hygiene, stains happen. Teeth stains can develop with age and from drinking beverages like coffee, dark soda, and wine.
Professional teeth whitening can help remove these stains and restore a brighter smile. Professional teeth whitening is typically offered through one of the following treatment methods:
During in-office or “chairside” whitening treatment, the dentist paints a strong bleach solution on to your teeth and activates it by shining a special UV light into your mouth. Depending on the type and severity of your stains, this procedure may need to be applied several times–up to three–during a single appointment, brightening your teeth up to 10 shades whiter.
At-home whitening treatments provided by your dentist include custom-made trays and strong, specialized bleach solutions, stronger than those you can buy off the shelf. At-home whitening treatments are more effective and produce much better results than generic kits, and you can whiten your teeth gradually from the comfort of your own home.
Most cosmetic dental services are considered elective in nature and are not covered by most insurance plans. However, Monarch Dental offers flexible payment plans and financing options that can help you afford the cosmetic dentistry treatments you need.
Professional whitening treatment costs vary by patient, but at-home or take-home whitening kits typically cost less than an in-office whitening procedure.
The costs for dental bonding can also vary. Dental bondings are more prone to chipping or staining, and they typically need to be replaced every five to ten years.
One of the more expensive dental cosmetic procedures is placing porcelain veneers. The costs could start at $800 per tooth*, primarily because there is more prep work involved, but because they also tend to last longer than bonding or teeth whitening procedures.
A confident smile is priceless and, at Monarch Dental, we believe everyone deserves one. From routine cleanings to emergency dental services, our dedicated team of dental professionals is here to help you and your family with comprehensive dental care–including cosmetic dentistry–that is affordable and convenient. We work hard to make sure all of our patients receive the quality services they need with flexible financing options, easily accessible retail locations, and even weekend and evening appointments available at some offices. Visit us here for the Monarch Dental location nearest you and find out how we can help you smile with confidence. *Prices vary so please consult with the dental office for pricing.
Orthodontics may be provided by general dentists.
